[207] THUCYD., iii. 38. Cleon’s famous speech on the Mytilenean question. [208] “Hujus rei aut omnino Lycisci ne vestigium quidem uspiam reperi.”—WYTTENBACH. [209] In allusion, of course, to the famous verse of an unknown poet:— Ὀψὲ θεῶν ἀλέουσι μύλοι, ἀλέουσι δὲ λεπτὰ. [210] 540 E. [211] Deleting ἢ after ῥάδιον with BERNARDAKIS. 549 F. [212] Note the change of number: θεῶν—εἰδὼς. [213] Cf. the well-known passage in the _Timæus_ (_Timæus_, 29 C, D). [214] 550 D. “Etsi hæc sententia disertis verbis in Platone, quod sciam, non exstet, ejus tamen ubique sparsa sunt vestigia.” WYTTENBACH adds: “Summam autem hominum virtutem et beatitudinem in eo consistere, ut imitatione Deorum eis similes evadant, communis fere omnium Philosophorum fuit sententia.” [215] Plutarch has another well-known passage of the _Timæus_ in his memory here.—_Timæus_, 29 D. [216] “Neque hoc disertis verbis in Platone legere me memini; sed cum variis locis ... confer.”—WYTT. [217] 551 D. [218] 553 A, 553 F. [219] _Laws_, 728 C. The reference is to HESIOD: _Works and Days_, 265, 266, though Plutarch quotes verse 265 in a form different from the vulgate. GOETTLING (_Ap._ Paley) thinks Plutarch’s version “savours more of antiquity.” ARISTOTLE: _Rhetoric_, iii. 9, quotes the vulgate. [220] 554 D. Literally, “_they were not punished when they grew old, but grew old in punishment_.” [221] 555 E, F. [222] STOBÆUS: _Anthologion_, Tit. 79, 15. [223] 557 D. Cf. the sarcasm of the Academic COTTA in the _De Natura Deorum_, iii. 38: “Dicitis eam vim Deorum esse ut, etiam si quis morte pœnas sceleris effugerit, expetantur eæ pœnæ a liberis, a nepotibus, a posteris. O miram æquitatem Deorum!” [224] 558 F. [225] 559 E. [226] 560 C. WYTTENBACH quotes LUCRETIUS, iii. 437 and 456: “Ergo dissolvi quoque convenit omnem animai Naturam ceu fumus in altas aeris auras.” He might have added, iii. 579, sqq.: “Denique, cum corpus nequeat perferre animai Discidium, quin id tetro tabescat odore, Quid dubitas quin ex imo penitusque coörta, Emanarit uti fumus diffusa animæ vis?” Plutarch is probably thinking of Plato’s “intelligent gardener” (PHÆDRUS, 276 B), although, as Wyttenbach says, “_Horti Adonidis proverbii vim habent._” The English reader will think of Shakespeare’s beautiful lines— “_Thy promises are like Adonis’ gardens,_ _That one day bloom’d, and fruitful were the next._” _Henry VI._, Pt. 1, act i. sc. 6. [227] 560 F. [228] 561 A. [229] 564 C. [230] Cf. _Timon of Athens_, act iii. sc. 1: “_Let molten coin be thy damnation._”